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Prepared by Olivia Torresan,
What story can ten years of images tell?
Biodiversity data is more than just occurrence details (where and when a species is found), in that, often, it can include rich descriptions that are immensely useful in conducting analysis and research. Associated pictures of a species at a single point in time are one valuable way of understanding traits and characteristics of an organism and can be used in conjunction with a plethora of other provided information.
Using a decade long citizen science program with data published to the Atlas of Living Australia aiming to understand how shifts in climate are influencing seasonal behaviour of Australia’s plants and animals, Garcia-Rojas, Keatley & Roslan (2022) use imagery of Jacaranda trees (Jacaranda mimosifolia) to understand how their flowering patterns might have changed across time. This was the most recorded species in the project, with 11, 578 sightings. In their five most recorded areas, flowering intensity and period were calculated and plotted against local climate conditions. Peak flowering of Jacaranda’s was found to occur in December in Melbourne but in October in Perth and Sydney.
Flowering studies such as these can help us understand how a changing climate may impact important related factors such as the reproductive success of J. mimosifolia, and therefore its longevity.
